Wednesday, April 24, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
For the short term at least, it appears the Southern AAA Zone Basketball Tournament will remain at Durango High School.
Zone athletic administrators met last week to discuss a proposal by Tom Farnsworth, Las Vegas High basketball coach and president of the Southern Nevada Coaches Association, to take the tournament from Durango and offer it to other schools on a year-by-year basis.
Durango has served as tournament host for the past three years.
Dick Paulin, director of activities and athletics for the Clark County School District and a member of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Board of Control, said the matter will be addressed again at separate meetings of the board and the zone athletic administrators June 10 and 11.
However, Paulin said it is probably too late to incorporate a change for the coming school year.
"At this point, the matter has been tabled for discussion at the June meetings," he said. "It is my anticipation that the NIAA will leave it at Durango for the coming year. I don't think there will be anything done this year."
Trailblazers athletic administrator Larry McKay said several schools have expressed interest in hosting the tournament in the future, but added a yearly rotation of the event is not in the tournament's best interest.
"The coaches' idea has some merit, but trying to rotate the tournament on a year-to-year basis is not feasible," McKay said. "You don't get a chance to work out the kinks before you pass it on.
"There needs to be some continuity. My opinion, and I think the general consensus, is that a tournament needs to stay somewhere for a two- or three-year period."
Farnsworth said he's pleased the coaches' voices have been heard and that the proposal has been taken under advisement.
"I think the coaches have talked to their administrators, and that's maybe made a difference," he said. "I'm happy it seems to be moving forward. It's just something that's good for basketball and gets everyone involved."
Paulin said the decision ultimately rests with the board of control, and both McKay and Farnsworth agreed the matter now is out of their hands.
"I'd like to continue to do it, of course, but I don't know which way they'll go," McKay said. "All I can tell you is that nothing was decided for sure."
"There's nothing that we can do from now on," said Farnsworth. "It's in the hands of the administrators, and soon we're all going to be busy with spring leagues. If they decide not to do it then so be it."
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